Sept. 18, 2010

Final Individual Results | Final Team Results
Video Highlights

ANNAPOLIS, Md. - Jess Palacio won the individual title at Navy's Salty Dog Invitational to pace the Midshipmen to a third place finish at their home invite at the USNA Golf Course on Saturday. The standout junior finished the 6K course with a time of 21:48.

As a unit, the Navy women's cross country team placed third of nine teams with 87 points. Maryland led the way with 71 points on the strength of placing two runners in the top-10. Malone barely edged out Navy with 86 points and Johns Hopkins was a close fourth with 89 points.

"We were really curious to see how we would do against Maryland because they are ranked above us in our Mid-Alantic Region," said head coach Karen Boyle. "We've got some work to do in order to catch their level, but we are hoping that we can get there in the next three to four weeks, in time for the regional and Patriot League championships."

Maryland is ranked No. 6 in the USTFCCCA Mid-Atlantic Poll and Navy is No. 10.

Palacio's win margin was 12 seconds, as she edged out Louisville's Kim Grieshaber and Octavia Rinehardt, who finished second (22:00) and third (22:15), respectively.

"Jess ran hard from the start and held the pace on a really challenging course," said Boyle. "She has been very consistent in workouts and in races, she has great mental confidence and she is really motivating the rest of the team."

Navy's Rachel Hornrath, the defending Patriot League Rookie of the Week, was the team's second runner to cross the finish line, as she placed 14th overall with a time of 23:23.

Brigid Byrne placed 19th (23:36), Mollie Hebda was 26th (23:54) and Jacqueline Blackburn (23:56) finished 27th to round out Navy's top-five finishers.

Navy will return to action next Saturday at the Roy Griak Invitational in St. Paul, Minnesota.

Team Results
1. Maryland 71
2. Malone 86
3. Navy 87
4. Johns Hopkins 89
5. Louisville 105
6. American 118
7. UMBC 189
8. George Washington 203
9. Mount St. Mary's 210